Swimmers at Sydney's famed Bondi Beach now have an extra set of eyes watching the water, and they're mechanical. The New York Times reports that after a spate of shark incidents, including a suspected attack by a great white on a schoolteacher at nearby Coogee Beach, the state of New South Wales has ramped up its drone-based shark surveillance and will keep the program running all year at roughly 70 beaches, instead of just during peak seasons. CNA notes that the system only calls in on sightings of tiger, bull, and white sharks, as they're the species most likely to go on the attack.
Drone pilots scan from above starting at dawn, alerting lifeguards when they spot a threatening creature so that sirens can clear the water, per the Times. Several beaches were closed in early July after sightings. Surf Life Saving New South Wales, which runs the program, logged 100,000 drone flights and 2,300 shark sightings over the past fiscal year, and it now expects to quintuple flights to 500,000, with no shortage of applicants for paid pilot jobs.
Supporters like veteran drone pilot Jason Iggleden welcome the added coverage but warn that pilots need training to distinguish truly dangerous species, as officials test AI tools to help. Plus, the Conversation points out two other important caveats: "More sightings doesn't necessarily mean there are more sharks," and "detection doesn't mean protection," suggesting that the surveillance is in place more to ease beachgoers' minds. More here on how Australia is balancing shark risk, tech, and ocean culture.
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